Abstract In a laminated coating head in which drops of coating material are ejected from relatively small orifices in an orifice plate to provide a patterned coating, as in printing, and a filter plate is positioned upstream of the orifice plate to remove any foreign particles from the coating material and prevent clogging of the orifices, an inlet plate having an elongated slot therein is positioned between the filter plate and the orifice plate to thereby form a chamber between the two and allow turbulence generated in the coating by its passage through the filter plate to decay before the coating material reaches the orifice plate. Additionally, the inlet plate is provided with a series of passages extending from the slot and concentrically arranged with respect to the orifices to channelize the flow and eliminate cross flow before the coating material is delivered to the orifices.
In a noncontacting coating head including a coating material manifold, a filter plate having a plurality of perforations formed therein, an orifice plate positioned downstream of said filter plate and having a series of orifices formed therein, a series of charge rings for selectively charging coating material ejected through said orifices, means for establishing an electrostatic-deflecting field downstream of said charge rings and means for selectively catching drops of coating material, the improvement comprising: a. an inlet plate member positioned between said filter plate and said orifice plate, b. said inlet plate having an elongated slot therein extending from the surface of said inlet plate adjacent said filter plate toward said orifice plate.
Claim 2
Dependent Claim
113 words
In a noncontacting coating head including a coating material manifold, a filter plate having a plurality of perforations formed therein, an orifice plate positioned downstream of said filter plate and having a series of orifices formed therein, a series of charge rings for selectively charging coating material ejected through said orifices, means for establishing an electrostatic-deflecting field downstream of said charge rings and means for selectively catching drops of coating material, the improvement comprising: a. an inlet plate member positioned between said filter plate and said orifice plate, b. said inlet plate having an elongated slot therein extending from the surface of said inlet plate adjacent said filter plate toward said orifice plate.
Claim 3
Dependent Claim
39 words
The improvement of claim 1 further comprising: a. a series of passages formed in said inlet plate member and extending from said slot to said orifice plate, b. said passages being concentric with said orifices in said orifice plate.
Claim 4
Dependent Claim
15 words
The improvement of claim 2 wherein: a. the axes of said passages are substantially parallel.
Claim 5
Dependent Claim
21 words
The improvement of claim 3 wherein: a. the depth of said slot is appreciably greater than the length of said passages.
Claim 6
Dependent Claim
34 words
The improvement of claim 4 wherein: a. a said inlet plate is approximately 0.1875 inch thick, b. said slot is approximately 0.1875 inch deep, and c. said passages are approximately 0.0635 inch in diameter.